


Shut up and dance with me

by Windfighter



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: I Tried, I can't do cute but, M/M, attempt at fluff, but they don't have huge parts so, plus the rest of the avengers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 12:05:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18475876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windfighter/pseuds/Windfighter
Summary: It's time for the Avengers to retire and of course Tony sets up a huge party in order to see them off.





	Shut up and dance with me

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Marvel cast - shut up and dance with me](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/473446) by Clint Barton. 



The years had broken them, healed them and broken them again. They had arrived at the other end of them tired and worn, but with a family and happier than ever. They had saved the world more times than they could count, which was a lot since two of them were geniuses and could count to very high numbers. They had more than deserved their retirement and the time had finally arrived for them to step back and let a new group of Avengers take the place as Earth's mightiest heroes.

It was their last day together and in regular Tony Stark-fashion he had turned it into a huge party, one last media-stunt before they all stepped down. People came and left the whole evening, music playing throughout the house, bar open, snacks constantly refilled, a buffet in the kitchen. No expenses were spared. The Avengers were the center of attention but for once Tony had stepped to the side, stayed on the side-lines. Occassionally a reporter would talk to him, ask questions he would deflect and then move on to talk to one of the new Avengers.

For once in his life, Tony was content. He watched the others chat away, dance, play games, flirt. Even Fury seemed to be enjoying himself, relaxed for the first time ever. Tony leaned against the wall, sipped on his coffee. Maybe he should go over, leave the corner he was observing from and talk to his friends for the last time. They were all going their seperate ways after tonight. But he didn't need that, he wanted to spend the time he had left memorizing them all at their happiest. Plus, if he walked out there he _would_ become the center of attention.

He was Tony freaking Stark after all.

The hours walked by. Occassionally he slipped away, exchanged a few words with one of his teammates, both the old and the new, grabbed a cup of coffee before returning to his spot. Clint tried to get him to join a game of charades, he had played it with them before and they loved watching him make a fool of himself and while he didn't mind when it was just them he declined.

Two hours before midnight he took the stairs up a floor, leaned against the railing and watched them from there. The music was less loud there, but he could still see everyone.

”Friday?” he asked.

”Yes boss?”

”You will look after them, won't you?”

”Of course, boss.”

She sounded fond and Tony smiled. He leaned heavier against the railing, alone but for the first time in his life he didn't feel lonely. This was a good place to end it, to step back. Peter would take his place, they had designed a special Iron Man-suit for him. The Iron-spider, Peter had called it and Tony had laughed. He knew it wouldn't be used much, the way Peter battled didn't sit well with a large clunky armor, but it had been their last project together. Peter and Sam would step up as leaders for the new Avengers, replacing him and Steve. There had been outcries, media outlashes, everything bad, about someone as young as Peter leading a gang of super-powered individuals. It would stop, eventually. 

One hour before midnight Steve came up as well, leaned against the railing beside Tony. Their arms almost touched. When it all had started Tony would have read the gesture as Captain America checking up on him, making sure he wasn't a disgrace, that he wouldn't drag the Avengers into the dirt, but after everything they had been through it was a comforting gesture. 'I'm here' it said.

”We missed you down there.”

”I just want to remember this evening for what it is. A party for us. Not just for me.”

”Still.”

Steve's hand hovered closer to Tony's, Tony didn't pull away.

”Where are you going next?” Steve continued.

Tony had spent a lot of time thinking about it. Bruce and Natasha were going away together, some remote island Tony couldn't remember the name of. He hadn't cared enough. Clint was going to his family, to stay this time. Thor was returning to Asgard, finally ready to fully take his place on the throne. Tony couldn't go too far away, he was still head of Stark Industries, but he didn't want to stay in New York, not with all the memories the city held for him. He let out a sigh.

”To the farm I built for Pepper and me, before she broke up with me. You?”

Steve shrugged.

”To wherever I am needed, I don't know yet.”

”Bucky going with you?”

”He's staying here, to keep the younglings in check and train them. He feels like he still have a lot of paying back to do.”

Bucky choose that moment to look at them, raised a glass and smiled. Tony and Steve smiled back, Tony nodded. Silence fell between them, Steve listened to the music, Tony watched as his friends played, Clint currently at the center of attention and trying to get the others to guess the name of a movie but failing spectaculary since the others were laughing.

”Cannibal women in the avocado jungle of death”, Tony groaned. ”How can they not see that?”

”One of few movies you spared us from watching.”

”You all missed out then.”

”Yeah”, Steve sounded sad. ”Maybe we'll get together and watch it sometime.”

”Maybe.”

Silence fell again. Friday raised the volume of the music to fill the air. Tony would miss her. Sure, he could install her in his cottage as well, but it felt like a betrayal. Just like he hadn't been able to reinstall Jarvis after the creation of Vision. He had already installed another AI in the cottage.

”Last night together”, something in Steve's voice made it clear it still hadn't sunk in. ”Are you sure you don't want to talk with the others?”

Tony nudged Steve's shoulder with his own, smiled.

”I'm right where I want to be. There are no more words needed between us, the goodbyes have already been said. Wordlessly. I'm happy up here, watching over them. It feels familiar, calming. And this is their night, your night. I have every other night for me.”

”This is _our_ night”, Steve corrected, but didn't make a move to pull Tony away, to pull him down there.

”Am I going to miss this? To miss us? To miss what we had? Heck yeah. It gave me a purpose, a direction and even with all the constant fighting, the constant bickering and the constant close encounters with death it gave me a family. But I'm not going to grieve over it, and I'm not going to spend my last night looking for reasons to make me cry because if I go down there, Steve... I will break. And that's not how I want to remember our last evening, it's not how I want you to remember me.”

Steve just hummed, moved a milimeter closer.

”I don't know, I'm just happy here”, Tony continued. ”Watching from the side for once. You don't have to keep me company, I'm happy just seeing you talk with the others.”

”I'm right where I want to be as well”, Steve said and placed his hand on Tony's arm, pulled him away from the railing. A slow song was playing and Steve pulled Tony closer, put his arms around him. ”Now shut up and dance with me.”

Tony laughed, wrapped his arms around Steve. They danced. It was the first time Tony danced with a man. There's a first time for everything. He caught Peter smiling at them from the floor below as he and Steve moved together. Next time he saw Peter the young man was holding a sign.

#Give Captain America a boyfriend

A tag that had trended on several social media-places, Tony had heard all about it from Peter. He rolled his eyes before closing them and leaning into Steve's embrace. He could feel eyes on them, and even though he had tried so hard the whole evening he had somehow ended up the center of attention anyway. Right now though, he didn't mind. He felt Steve's breath tickle his neck, sending a shiver down his spine.

”I wanted this for so long”, Steve whispered. ”Just you and me.”

Tony couldn't talk, but he had wanted it too. He hadn't been able to admit it, not to anyone, barely not even himself. 

”I need to...” Steve kept whispering, ”...before I never see you again. I should have done it earlier. Maybe it's too late.”

The song ended. Midnight struck. They pulled away from each other, still held on to each other. Stared into each other's eyes.

”Too late for what?” Tony asked but he knew and he wanted it. He could see Peter waving the sign in the corner of his eyes, but paid it no mind. There was only Steve and Steve's eyes and Steve's arms around him and Steve's lips coming closer, but they stopped, waited. Tony closed the gap. Steve's grip around him tightened, he tightened his grip around Steve. He wanted to squee, but that would have been below him. Steve lifted him from the floor, twirled him around and Tony wanted to laugh because Steve was such a walking cliché but he couldn't laugh because he was so happy and he may have squeed but if he did only Steve and Friday heard it. Flashes went off in their direction and they kissed again, more intense. It would be all over the news tomorrow. Their teammates were cheering and they finally pulled away, out of breath, happy smiles plastered on their faces and Tony's cheeks were burning but it was a wonderful feeling and he let his hands slip down from Steve's shoulders, squeezed his hands instead.

”So... does this mean...” He couldn't ask 'are we together now' because then he would be such a walking cliché and Steve leaned down, rested his forehead against Tony's.

”It means whatever we want it to mean”, Steve answered. ”We'll figure it out. Together.”

Tony gave a small laugh, squeezed Steve's hands again.

”Like the old man said, together.”

”Boss”, Friday interrupted and they pulled apart, ”it is time to leave.”

She sounded so sad and Tony felt guilt and sadness wash over him. He turned towards the ceiling even though he always told Steve you don't need to look at the ceiling because the AI is everywhere, but he needed to turn to her this time.

”Thank you, Friday. It was nice working with you”, he blinked away tears he had promised he wouldn't shed. ”Peter is your boss now. Treat him well.”

”I will, boss”, Friday paused. ”Mr Stark.”

He and Steve walked back down together, hand in hand. The Avengers smiled at them, Peter chuckled. Steve grabbed his shield, Clint, Natasha, Bruce and Thor came up to them.

”Please don't turn this into a hug-party”, Tony whispered.

His request was denied as Natasha wrapped her arms around him and his eyes were watery now, he couldn't hold the tears back and he wrapped his arms around her, felt Bruce wrap around both of them, then Clint, Steve and at last Thor. Tony sniffled, dried his eyes as they pulled away and Steve's hand hugged his before letting go again. The new avengers looked at them, Bucky standing slightly to the side, Peter and Sam at the front.

”No hugging, kid”, Tony said.

”I'm not a kid any longer”, Peter answered.

He pulled Tony into a hug. Sam shook Steve's hand.

”Take care of them”, Tony heard Steve said as he handed Sam his shield, ”Captain America.”

”I'm going to miss you, Mr Stark”, Peter said and Tony hugged him tight.

”I'm just a phone call away if you ever need me. Good luck, kid. Make sure to keep them on their toes. Especially Fury.”

They let go. The old Avengers walked out of the building. The New Avengers were the center of attention now. They didn't turn back, didn't look to the building that had been their home for years. Together they walked to the parking lot, waved goodbye. Tony and Steve last to leave.

”I'm going where I'm needed”, Steve repeated as he sat down on his bike.

”I think I need you”, Tony said.

”Then that's where I'm going.”

Steve smiled, started his bike and Tony sank down in his car, rolled down the window.

”You know the way, old man?”

”Second star to the right and onwards 'til morning.”

Steve winked at Tony and Tony laughed, started his car.

”See you at home, old man.”

”See you at home, shellhead.”

The years had broken them, healed them and broken them again. But as they drove together into the night neither Tony nor Steve had ever felt more complete.

 

**Author's Note:**

> ...I can't do endings so sorry about that. I hope you liked this! When I first got the idea for this fanfic it was just the phrase "Shut up and dance with me" and it took days of pondering before I managed to figure out kind of what I wanted to do. I never plan my stories so it was pretty much a touch and go and hope it ended approximately where I wanted it to.
> 
> And I did! So success! *victory dance*


End file.
